EastEnders exit confirmed for legend as they quit Walford - but fans confused

An EastEnders icon has bid farewell to the iconic square.

Soap veteran Kathy Beale, portrayed by Gillian Taylforth, has been a constant presence on the show since her first appearance in 1985. As one of the original characters from the inaugural episode, Kathy has been at the heart of numerous major storylines over the years.

In a surprising twist in 2015, she made a dramatic return after being presumed dead. Recently, the narrative took a significant turn for the cafe owner.

Viewers will remember Kathy's involvement in the memorable The Six storyline during Christmas, which resulted in the death of Keanu Taylor, played by Danny Walters.

Kathy, along with the other women of The Six, concealed the crime and ended up implicating Dean Wicks, played by Matt Di Angelo. Moreover, Kathy was dealt another devastating blow recently when her son Ben, portrayed by Max Bowden, was incarcerated, reports the Daily Star.

Ben was apprehended for credit card fraud committed during his time in America the previous year. Consequently, he was extradited back to the states, leaving his family distraught.

However, in this week's episodes, Kathy departed the square to visit Ben in America, accompanied by Ben's daughter Lexi and Ian Beale, played by Adam Woodyatt.

In Monday's episode (July 29), released on iPlayer in the morning, it was disclosed that Ben's police officer husband Callum, played by Tony Clay, was scheduled to join them but was unable to take time off work.

EastEnders enthusiasts didn't hold back their opinions on Kathy's abrupt departure from Walford. On an EastEnders Facebook fan page, a fan commented: "So that's Kathy gone for a few weeks then."

Another chimed in: "How are Ian and Kathy able to just drop everything to go over to America? This soap..." Meanwhile, a third pondered: "So Ian has gone and Cindy is nowhere to be seen since starting her affair with Junior? Also Kathy owns a business - who is running the cafe?"